Pot-head device



May 13, 1924.

P. F. WILLIAMS POT HEAD DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May.l3, 1924. 1,494,202

P. F. WILLIAMS POT HEAD DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 13, 1924.

, 1,494,202 PATENT, OFFICE.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO 6. i W. ELECTRIC CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

POT-HEAD DEVICE.

Application flhd February 1, 1918. Serial 30. 214,859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'l, PAUL F. WILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of held in position by Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pot-Head Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference be ng had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pothead devices which are used particularly for the connec-- tion of electrical cables and overhead conductors.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and advantageous construction of ot head (1817108 Another object of the invention is to provide an advantageous construction of conductor outlet and cap or hood for the same and also to arrange for the advantageous mounting of the latter with reference to the former.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide effective and quickly operable devices for connecting and disconnecting the cable and overhead conductor, and also to arrange for the advantageous mounting of these connecting devices in connection with the outlets and caps or hoods therefor.

'In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a multiple pot head de-. vice embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a single-conductor pot head embodying the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a view of a modification of Fig. 3.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 I show a multiple conductor pot head havmga bowl 1 smallest at its lower end and tapering upwardly and provided at said lower end with an inlet 2 for the cable 3 which enters the lower end of the same. The bowl 1 is provided with a top or cover 4 which 1s preferably made removable or detachable and is means of bolts 55, making it with pro ecting ears or lugs 6 on the bowl 1. The cover 4 is provided with upwardly extending insulating members 7-7, of which there are preferably three arranged in a row as shown in Fig. 2. Upon these insulators 7 there are mounted caps 8 which are made detachable from said insuthe form of hoods or housings havin substantial inner chambers 9 which provi e ample space for suitable connecting members and also extend down and cover the upper ends of the insulators 7. Connectin members are arranged within the chain rs 9, each set of connecting members consisting of spring clips 1010 and a metallic In or member 11 between the same, both 0? which are mounted upon the cap 8 and a pair of blades 12 mounted upon the insulator 7, said blades 12 being adapted to pass between the inner ends 14 of the sprin clips 10 and the plu member 11. Thus t ere is formed a dou le contact arrangement by which two firm and close contacts are provided. The spring contact clip 10 is referably secured to the cap 8 by means ofa screw threaded bolt or member 15 whose threaded portion is provided with nuts 16 and screws into the plug member 11 so that said memberlO is held in position between the nuts 16 and member 11. Said bolt 15 passes through the wall 8 of the cap 8 and 18 provided with a socket member 17 adapted to receive the end of the wire of an overhead conductor. The cap 8 is preferably provided with a chamber 18 in which this socket member 17 is fitted.

The contact blades 12'are secured in position upon the insulator 7 preferably by means of a metallic member 19 which is secured to the upper end ortion 20 of the insulator 7 and is provi ed with a screw 21 holding said blades in position, a washer 21 is interposed between the head of the screw 21 and the adjacent blade 12 and-a nut 21 is on the end of the screw 21. A threaded bolt 22 is secured to the member 19 and extends downwardly therefrom and fits into the socket ortion 23 of a metallic rod 24, being held in place by'a cross bolt 25. The lower end of the rod 24 extends down into the lower end 7 of the insulator 7 and is provided with a socket portion 24 which is adapted to receive one of the conductors 26 of the cable 3. Thus the overhead conducting member is attached to the socket 17 in the chamber 18 in the cap 8 and the cable conductor is attached to the lower end of the metallic member 24, the cable shown being provided with three strands, each one of which it is understood is attached to a conducting member 24 in each insulating outlet lators. The caps 8 are preferably made in 7. When a cap 8 is in position as shown in Fig. 1, connection will be made between the overhead conductor and a cable strand, but when said cap is removed said conductor and cable strand will be disconnected by the separation of the contact members 10 and 11 from the contact blades 12. Connection may again be made by placing the cap 8 in position.

Insulatin compound may be and preferably is usec, the same being filled into the chamber 18 to properly seal the conducting member 17 and the wire connected therewith and being also preferably placed inside of the bowl 1 for which purpose there are desirably provided two plugs 29 and 30 in the top wall of the cover 4. Such insulating compound when poured into the openings in which the plugs 29 and 30 fit will properly seal the contents of the bowl.

The device shown in Fig. 3 is a single conductor pot head comprising a. lower tubular member 32 and a. cap 3 3 titted thereon. The tubular member 32 is preferably made of insulating material and is provided with a suitable mounting device 34 consisting of a metallic cup shaped member enclosing the lower portion of said member 32 and secured to a bracket 35. The. cable 3 passes through the projecting end of a metallic clip 36 which is detachably held. as for example by being screw threaded. to the member 34. Packing 36 is confined within the member 36. A ring or washer member 37 is screw threaded into the chamber 38 formed in the upper portion of the member 36, said member 37 being provided with an upward- 1y extending standard 39 provided with an annular ring 40 from which the upper end of the cable sheath may be turned. Mounted on the ring 40 is another ring 41 which is clamped in position by means of screw 42 to hold the cable sheath 43 properly in position. The member 34 may be provided with ribs or prongs 34 and these may be set in cement 34" so as to embed the members 34" and properly connect the insulator 32 and supporting member 34.

The cap 33 is preferably provided with an inner chamber 33 in which the upper end of the insulator 32 and suitable. connecting devices are located. The connecting devices preferably consist of a metallic plug member 45 on the cap 33 and a spring clip 46 carried by the insulator 32 and having spring ends 47 adapted to receive between them the metallic plug 45. The plug 45 may be held in position by a screw bolt 48 fitted into a cavity or chamber 49 in the cap 33, the head 48 of said bolt having a recess to accommodate the end of the wire 50 of the overhead conductor.

The spring clip 46 carried by the insulator 32 is mounted upon a metallic member 51 and secured in position between washers member 51. The latter member is also provided with an enlargement 54 which is threaded, and washers 55 are threaded on the enlargement 54 and also in threaded engagement with the interior cup shaped member 56, which is provided with outwardly extending ribs or prongs 57. The latter tit and are cemented in cavities 58 formed in the inner surface of the upper portion of the wall of the insulator 32. Adjustment of the connecting member of the insulator 32 is obtained by adjustment of the washers 55 and enlarged portion 54. The lower end of the member 51 is provided with a socket into which is fitted the end of a conductor 3* of the cable 3".

The connection may be made and unmade by putting the cap or hood 33 in position on the insulator and removing ittherefrom, the plug member 45 being inserted between the spring clips 37 when the hood is in place, but removed therefrom when the hood is removed.

Insulating compound is preferably used, being filled into the cavity 49 in the hood 33 and also tilled in the interior of the insulator 32 before the connecting arrangement of the insulator is placed in position and before the various locking nuts are placed in position on the shelf or ledge (31 formed for it in the insulator 32. i

It will be seen that in both arrangements. that is the device of Figs. 1 and 2, and the device of Figs. 3 and 4, the caps extend well down upon the insulators and are provided with substantial enclosing chambers and the connecting members are provided with double contact arrangements by which two contacts, each tight and secure because of the spring pressure, are provided.

It will also be seen that the caps or hoods 8 are supported without making contact with the insulators 7 so that there is no liability of moisture creeping from one device to the other and thereby causing a short circuit or making other trouble. It will also be seen that the connecting devices serve as such a means for supporting the caps or hoods.

In Fig. 4 I show a modified construction of interior arrangement which may be used in whole or in part in place of the arrangement in Fig. 3. In this arrangement of Fig. 4 a post or metallic member 51 similar to the post 51 is shown in the center of the insulator 32*. A metallic collar 60 is fitted in the upper end of the insulator 32 and firmly held in position by cementing its lugs 61 in apertures 62 formed in the insulator 32*. A holding member in the form of a plate 63 is secured upon the flange 60 of the collar 60. Screws 64 are passed through the member 63 to engage the flange 60. This member 63 has a central tubular por- 52 and 53, all of which are threaded on saidtion 65 adapted to fit the post 51 and set to engage the post 51. A metallic washer 67 is fitted above the portion 65 and rests upon the member 63. The metallic clip 46 is arranged upon the post 51 and is held in position by a nut 68. The member 63 with the screws 64 and 66 hold the post 51: firmly in position so that the clip 46 may be applied and clamped into position by the nut 68. A cap similar to the cap 33 may be used in connection with this modification of Fig. 4, said cap 33 having a plug member 45 fitting into and making contact with the clip 46 as in Fig. 3.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. Apot head having a tubular insulating member and also having a cap fitting over the upper end of saidinsulating member and connecting devices comprising a pair of spring members and a contact between the same, said contact member consisting of a pair of contact blades adapted to fit between said spring contacts and a plug member forming a space for said blades between itself and said spring clips.

2. In a pothead device metallic connecting members consisting of a spring clip having its end portions doubled back with the ends toward one another, a metallic plug between said doubled back end portions and a pair of blades adapted to fit in the space between said end portions and said plug and make contact with the same.

3. In a pot head device metallic connecting members consisting of a spring clip having its end portions doubled back with the ends toward one another, a metallic plug between said doubled back end portions and a pair of blades adapted to fit in the space between said end portions and said plug and make contact with the same, and a metallic member upon which said blades are mounted and held in position.

4. In a pot head device metallic connecting members consisting of a spring clip having its end portions doubled back with the ends toward one another, a metallic plug between said double back end portions, a air of blades adapted'to fit in the space tween said end portions and said plug and make contact with the same, and a metallic member upon which said blades are mounted and held in position, said metallic member comprising an intermediate block between the blades, a nut on the outer side of one blade and a washer on the outer side of the other, and a screw passing through said washer nut and intermediate member.

5. In a pot head device metallic connecting members consisting of a spring clip having its end portions doubled back with the ends toward one another, a metallic plug between said double back end portions, a pair of blades adapted to fit in the space between said end portions and said plug and make contact with the same, and a metallic member upon which said blades are mounted and held in position, said metallic member being mounted upon a supporting post adapted to be connected with a cable conductor.

6. In a pot head the combination of a tubular insulator, a cap adapted to be mounted detachably upon the upper end of said insulator and connecting devices carried by said cap and insulator, said connecting devices having two parts one of which is mounted on the cap and the other on the insulator, one part consisting of a transversely mounted metallic strip having end portions which are bent substantially at right angles and then double back upon themeselves, and a metallic plug mounted between said doubled back end portions and the other part consisting of a pair of blades adapted to fit between and make contact with said metallic plug and the double. back end.

7. A pot head device having a tubular insulator and a cap fitting over the upper end of the same and connecting devices consisting of two parts, one of which is mounted on the cap and the other on the upper end of the insulator, said connecting devices being adapted to make and break electrical connection and being also adapted to serve as a supporting means for the cap. the cap and insulator being held out of contact with one another by said contact devices.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of December, A. D.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS. 

